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In what becomes a crowded race, private space companies look to the skies – armed with innovative approaches to spaceflight.
In a leap to affordable flights, SpaceX’s carpooling program now allows satellite operators to take Uber-like flights on a Falcon 9 rocket. And while most space rockets take off from a stationary launch pad, Virgin Orbit prefers to attach its rockets to planes and send the plane first.
Whether it’s striving to reduce the costs associated with spaceflight or delivering creative initiatives designed to make it easier for small satellite operators to reach orbit, SpaceX, Virgin Orbit and emerging private companies are making it easier than never moving in space.
The latest satellite launches and ride-sharing missions offer a first glimpse of what spaceflight can accomplish with new capabilities – while traveling to new heights and pushing the boundaries of human exploration.
In this episode of The abstract, we discuss how SpaceX and Virgin Orbit are rocking the small satellite industry.
Our first story concerns SpaceX’s SmallSat Rideshare program. Announced in August 2019, the rocket ridesharing service aims to facilitate the launch of small satellites into space. Seeking to give customers a better experience at a lower cost, the company urged consumers to sign up for its Uber-style service, in hopes of making the space industry more accessible.
Our second story talks about Virgin Orbit, the space launch company that wants to send satellites into orbit by attaching its rockets to planes. After an unsuccessful first attempt in May 2020, the company is working to conduct its next launch for NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative by the end of 2020. In hopes of setting new standards for launch activities , private companies like Virgin Orbit continue to set the tone for the future of spaceflight.
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Now, facts and science matter more than ever. This is part of the reason why The abstract, this brand new podcast from Reverse staff who focus exclusively on science and innovation. Three new episodes are released per week, and each covers a theme via two linked stories. Each features audio from the original Reverse reports, where facts and context take center stage. It is hosted by the Tanya Bustos podcasts of the WSJ. Because we Reverse, everything is true but slightly shifted. It is made for people who want to know the whole story. –Nick Lucchesi, Editor-in-Chief, Inverse
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